Pre Purchase Questions.
08-11-2006, 01:01 PM
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Pre Purchase Questions.
Hi everyone, this is my first post! 
Here's my situation...
I have an '02 VW Passat 4Motion with 52k miles and I owe about $8,000 on the note... I'm trying to buy a house soon (Oct/Nov), so having no car payments would be nice! Soooo, I'm thinking about selling my Passat and picking up a used 560 SEL. The SEL I have in mind is a 1990, black paint, cream interior, 148k miles, ~$2100. I just wanted to ask you all a few Qs before I put my car up for sale and pull the trigger on a used SEL.
1. How much should I expect to spend on yearly maintenance to keep these running? I know alllll too well how expensive German cars can be to repair/maintain. But the money spent is usually worth it, as German cars are a blast to drive!!
2. Are there any major mechanical/electrical problems that I should be aware of?
3. Do these engines have a timing belt or chain?
4. What sort of gas mileage do these cars get?
5. Lastly, do these have telescoping/tilting steering wheels? If so, how much do they telescope? I know that's a dumb Q, but due to physical constraints, I need a telescoping steering wheel.
Here's a pic of my Passat from a recent GTG.
Here's my situation...
I have an '02 VW Passat 4Motion with 52k miles and I owe about $8,000 on the note... I'm trying to buy a house soon (Oct/Nov), so having no car payments would be nice! Soooo, I'm thinking about selling my Passat and picking up a used 560 SEL. The SEL I have in mind is a 1990, black paint, cream interior, 148k miles, ~$2100. I just wanted to ask you all a few Qs before I put my car up for sale and pull the trigger on a used SEL.
1. How much should I expect to spend on yearly maintenance to keep these running? I know alllll too well how expensive German cars can be to repair/maintain. But the money spent is usually worth it, as German cars are a blast to drive!!
2. Are there any major mechanical/electrical problems that I should be aware of?
3. Do these engines have a timing belt or chain?
4. What sort of gas mileage do these cars get?
5. Lastly, do these have telescoping/tilting steering wheels? If so, how much do they telescope? I know that's a dumb Q, but due to physical constraints, I need a telescoping steering wheel.
Here's a pic of my Passat from a recent GTG.
08-19-2006, 02:39 PM
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Hello and Welcome to the forums!
The answer to most of your questions require more information. My dad has a 1988 560SEL and yes, it does have a telescoping steering wheel, though im not entirely sure how far it travels, this may be an option, so check the car. The major problems will be pretty much dependant upon the condition of the car, so again, please post pics/more info. Also, searching this forum will answer most of your questions.
Pics please!!
Cheers
The answer to most of your questions require more information. My dad has a 1988 560SEL and yes, it does have a telescoping steering wheel, though im not entirely sure how far it travels, this may be an option, so check the car. The major problems will be pretty much dependant upon the condition of the car, so again, please post pics/more info. Also, searching this forum will answer most of your questions.
Pics please!!
Cheers
08-22-2006, 10:40 AM
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There are a lot of quirks to the M117 engine. That is, if something goes wrong or 'not right' then you'll need a good mechanic who has worked on one before. However, if you're the type able to ignore small idle issues, oil leaks, etc., then any Mercedes engine will give you good service--just keep an eye on the fluid levels. I see lots of W126 with 250k+ miles... including mine, with more than 300k.
To answer your questions:
As for gas mileage, www.fueleconomy.gov is a good source. Looks like the EPA rated it at 14/17 city/highway @ 91 octane or higher. I can get almost 20mpg on the highway but that's if I *really* stretch it--like not maintaning my speed up hills and accelerating intelligently on downhills... well, everyone is an expert when it comes to gas mileage techniques.
I take both of my cars to the local dealer and for $1000 each they do a good job giving me an overall 'health' of each car, as well as replace the more expensive consummables such as brake pads, turning rotors, etc. I budget at least $1500/year in 'surprise' repairs for each car (in a money market account) but have yet to hit that mark with either Mercedes--even with the new transmission that the 560 needed at 260k (total repair bill was $1100 w/used 50k mile tranny).
They have a timing chain. If the previous owner hasn't already I would have it checked out to see how much it's stretched. You'll notice big differences in acceleration and fuel economy with a chain that's out of its ~3 degrees of tolerance.
Both my 1990 560 and my 1988 300TE have a telescoping wheel but I'm not sure if it was standard. This is an easy enough question to answer about your $2100 560 Go test drive it! I can tell you, however, that even without a telescoping wheel the power seats in both of my Mercs have a HUGE range of movement. And if you have a very short wife like mine the memory seats should be a MUST HAVE.
Apart from normal high mileage fixes such as replacing the tranny, motor mounts, tranny mounts, exhaust leaks, suspension bushings, I haven't had any bad experiences. E.g., it's nothing like the wonderfully porous block on my 1995 Volvo 960 that has twice streamed perfectly good oil through visible pinholes at apparently random times. There are others scanning these posts with much deeper wisdom. I think that for the moderate skill DIY'er you can do much of the regular maintenance yourself with a little guidance from a book or two (for torque values, e.g.). I strongly recommend the Bentley Service Manual for the W126 (or for any car, for that matter). http://www.bentleypublishers.com/product.htm?code=h764
To answer your questions:
As for gas mileage, www.fueleconomy.gov is a good source. Looks like the EPA rated it at 14/17 city/highway @ 91 octane or higher. I can get almost 20mpg on the highway but that's if I *really* stretch it--like not maintaning my speed up hills and accelerating intelligently on downhills... well, everyone is an expert when it comes to gas mileage techniques.
I take both of my cars to the local dealer and for $1000 each they do a good job giving me an overall 'health' of each car, as well as replace the more expensive consummables such as brake pads, turning rotors, etc. I budget at least $1500/year in 'surprise' repairs for each car (in a money market account) but have yet to hit that mark with either Mercedes--even with the new transmission that the 560 needed at 260k (total repair bill was $1100 w/used 50k mile tranny).
They have a timing chain. If the previous owner hasn't already I would have it checked out to see how much it's stretched. You'll notice big differences in acceleration and fuel economy with a chain that's out of its ~3 degrees of tolerance.
Both my 1990 560 and my 1988 300TE have a telescoping wheel but I'm not sure if it was standard. This is an easy enough question to answer about your $2100 560
Go test drive it! I can tell you, however, that even without a telescoping wheel the power seats in both of my Mercs have a HUGE range of movement. And if you have a very short wife like mine the memory seats should be a MUST HAVE.Apart from normal high mileage fixes such as replacing the tranny, motor mounts, tranny mounts, exhaust leaks, suspension bushings, I haven't had any bad experiences. E.g., it's nothing like the wonderfully porous block on my 1995 Volvo 960 that has twice streamed perfectly good oil through visible pinholes at apparently random times. There are others scanning these posts with much deeper wisdom. I think that for the moderate skill DIY'er you can do much of the regular maintenance yourself with a little guidance from a book or two (for torque values, e.g.). I strongly recommend the Bentley Service Manual for the W126 (or for any car, for that matter). http://www.bentleypublishers.com/product.htm?code=h764
